1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mail gate extension device to aid in the mechanical sorting of flats, large letters, magazines, catalogs, or the like, and more particularly to a device that will prevent these items from jamming as these items turn the bend of the machine's belt circular pathway in the letter sorting machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For many years the Post Office and other entities have used mechanical letter and flat sorters to sort large volumes of mail. These mail sorters, in particular the Multiple Position Flat Sorting Machine (MPFSM) 775 or 881, consist of a belt which carries flats, large letters, magazines, catalogues, and other documents past a number of bins. Each bin designates a specific location for the items. To assist in the sorting process there are a number of gates, a gate being situated for each bin. The gates route the item by permitting the item to pass by all bins, until a designated gate forces the item into a selected bin. Unfortunately, as the items proceeds past the bins many of the flimsy items tend to either roll up or lean over and become perpendicularly located (turn sideways). As the belt proceed it loops to form an elongated circular pathway. On the turn-end or end of this pathway many of the flimsy items which have become perpendicularly located (turned sideways) jam on the pusher fingers that push the item s around the belt. In the past attempts have been made to avoid this problem though the addition of deflectors, the initial design of the machine, modifications to the belts and gates, and/or other various changes. However these attempts have met with minimal success.
Although there have been many inventions related to mechanical mail and document sorting machines, none of the previous machines address the problem of flats jamming the machine by adapting or modifying the existing machine. These prior techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements as disclosed and claimed herein. The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objectives and advantages over the prior art device through a new, useful and unobvious combination of component elements, which is simple to use, with the utilization of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, assemble, test and by employing only readily available material.